XII's - Bare Bear X Uncle Jacob's Stout

     It's always a difficult task when deciding which brews to choose when doing a "XII's" (Twelves) review... For those who don't know, XII's is where I review two beers which have been distributed to the masses in vessels that are 12oz or less... Usually this is a fun venture and allows me to view the brews I often look over when solely searching for a bomber... But, lately I've been running into quite a few of duds when searching amongst the smaller containers, and it's frustrating because often times it's not just a single beer I've invested in... Though it does sometimes suck ass to have five beers left of a sixer to get through before I can justify going to get something new, it's all part of the journey, and helps me appreciate the brews which are truly exceptional...

     I had initially gone into this edition of XII's with the idea that I'm gonna go for beers with exceptionally high ABV's!! I had my Avery "Uncle Jacob's Stout" alongside my DogFish Head "120 Minute IPA" for a quick while before I got to sit down and begin these write ups, and then it happened... I don't usually take the time to point out the beers I don't overly enjoy, but why the 120 Minute receives that much praise is beyond me!! Nevertheless, that brew received a healthy scratch for this write-up and Off Color's "Bare Bear," with it's weird, sexually charged graphic, filled the slot...

Fuck It, Dude... Let's Go Bowling...

     In 1998, Joel and Ethan Coen first released their comedy "The Big Lebowski" at the Sundance Film Festival... Story goes, it received mixed reviews at film festivals and major theatre debuts, but has since evolved into a cult classic!! It has gained such a large following that there is now an annual "Lebowski Fest," which is essentially a viewing and bowling party themed around the characters and situations within the movie... Hosted originally in Louisville, Kentucky in 2002, it has since spread to many metropolitan cities nationwide...
     The movie's cast is low-key phenomenal, (Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Turturro, Tara Reid, Mark Pellegrino, and even Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist Flea - to name a few) as each character executed their roles in exquisite fashion... Of equal preeminence was the movie's score, consisting of excellently placed tracks which brilliantly accompany each character or situation... The plot, however, seems to be one of the least celebrated aspects of the film... It's Pulp-Fiction-esque, in regards to it having multiple underlying story lines applicable to each individual character, all adding bits and pieces to the overall plot, which, in the end is ultimately secondary to all the comical anecdotes each character encounters...
     Since it's central storyline has never been the most celebrated aspect of the film, I believe it's the love for the characters that has truly been embraced by the "Lebowski communities" everywhere... So much so, that Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago has brewed a Lebowski inspired White Russian Imperial Milk Stout!! Russian stouts aren't typically creamy in nature, but when modeling a beer after a White Russian, it only makes sense... Now join me in indulging in the aptly named "Hey, Careful Man, There's A Beverage Here!!"

Deceiving Looks - Master Of Disguise

Stone has always been a brewery that pushes the brewing envelope, especially when it comes to IPA's, as they brew more of that style than any brewery that I'm aware of… They don't discriminate though, as last year they released a pair of smoked porter varietals, and then asked for consumers input as to which one they preferred better… I preferred the vanilla version over the chipotle version, but both were delightful concoctions… I must also give them a nod for encouraging consumer feedback and participation, which is evident in their porter experiment, as well as their recent Xocoveza collaboration with a homebrew competition winner!!

This particular brew caught my eye because I've never even heard of a stout that's not dark in color… It made me think of how Black IPA's were a recent trend, and the back of the beer even mentions how they've been accepted as somewhat normal in the realm of IPA's… I've always had an affinity for the darker styles, so I've wanted to try every Black IPA I could get my hands on… Making me think - If a Blonde Stout is anywhere near as good as most of the Black IPA's I've consumed, it's sure to be a real treat!!

2015 - The Year Of The Squarian

Happy New Year!! Welcome to 2015, "The Year Of The Squarians" as dubbed by The Kid With The Green Backpack - XV… If you're unfamiliar with the work of XV, I suggest getting acquainted with the music of this young Kansas resident via your favorite music source!! With the new year, the common accompaniment are resolutions, typically a few things in each individuals life that they wish to achieve in the coming 52 weeks… Though I rarely wait 'til a certain date to induct change into my life, this year I decided it was time I make a change and I gave myself a resolution - DRINK MORE BEER!! It may seem to be a juvenile resolution, but it's a reasonable one that can be somewhat easily accomplished and is inherently fun!! To clarify, by "more" I'm speaking in terms of variety and style, not an increase in total beer consumed… I rarely consume more than a bomber in a standard session, and hardly ever pick up anything larger than a 4-banger - MAYBE the occasional 6'r making its way into the fridge… Picking up smaller quantities at a more frequent rate will allow me to try more brewer's products more frequently, whilst not overindulging in alcoholic beverages… So to those who've decided this will be the year they have the rock hard body they've always wanted - More power to ya, and I hope to catch ya at the beach!! You bring your six pack, I'll bring mine…

XII's - 72 Imperial X Christmas Ale

 Breckenridge Brewery - 72 Imperial [Small Batch Series - Chocolate Cream Stout] (12oz ---> Lefthand Pint Glass : 7.2 ABV : 11 IBU)

  This beer was for some reason singled out at my local store and was the only one available on the shelf… There could be a few reasons as to why, but it seems they're usually placed there after having been available for a while, (over a year) or, what I assumed happened to this beer, one of the 4/6 pack became victim to a break and they had to be sold as individuals… If this happened to be a beer with some age on it, hopefully the 7.2 ABV helped it age gracefully…

  The large car graphic wrapping around almost the entire bottle insists the "72 Imperial" is somewhat of a classic vehicle, and a small amount of research uncovered it is exactly that, a Chrysler to be more specific… To add a nice touch to the "72" theme, the '72 Imperial fittingly had a 7.2 liter V-8 engine as well… Also, since it's a chocolate cream stout brewed in Colorado, they chose to use Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory's "dark chocolate" in the brewing recipe…

Salty & Sweet - Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout

New Belgium Brewing X Perennial Artisan Ales - Lips Of Faith Series: Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout [Stout Brewed With Chocolate] (22oz ---> Left Hand Pint Glass : 9% ABV : 35 IBU)

There are few things in life as satisfying as watching Minnesota hockey and enjoying a finely crafter brew… They're out there, but the list is fairly short… And much the like the fashion world, with the changing of seasons, breweries also begin to release "season specific" styles, and hockey season is a good indicator that winter warmers are soon to be bountiful in any liquor store… With it still being fall, I figured a "Belgian" chocolate stout would be a light introduction before I dove fully into the winter beer mindset… But when the holiday season fully kicks into gear and Grandma makes her sugar cookies with a Hershey kiss on top, they wouldn't be heavenly without the dose of salt she adds to the recipe to balance out the sweetness… Thus, a salty chocolate stout is one I'm in no hurry to pass up!!

Homebrewing At Its Finest - Xocoveza Mocha Stout

     As an ode to homebrewing in America, Stone allows the winner of the annual American Homebrewers Association competition to have their recipe brewed and distributed by Stone!! This years winner was Chris Banker with his Xocoveza (sho-co-vay-za) Mocha Stout, a brewers nod to Mexican hot chocolate... Even though Corona, molé, and Patrón are the more "prized" commodities of Mexico, if the opportunity to enjoy some of their hot chocolate - Don't pass it up!! Sidenote: Why is Patrón such a highly sought after tequila in America?? It can't be its high quality, but could it be because of DJ Class?! 'Cause that's the only reason I can think of, but if so, well done Class!! Alright, back to the brew at hand... Chris wasn't the only one included on this collaboration, as Cerveceria Insurgente was also brought into the equation to attest to it's traditional Mexican flavor profiles... Since So-Cal was the source for their ingredients, they took it a step further and used strictly Mostra Coffee products for their coffee elements, as well as ChocoVivo for their cocoa elements!! Though I'm not a native of California, I am half Mexican and am also a homebrewer, and was thus further drawn to getting this bomber after the relationship I felt to it simply after  reading it's back label... I haven't gotten around to brewing a stout, but when I do, hopefully it's as tasty as this beer is sounding to be!!

XII's - Timber Beast X Velvet Merlin

Choosing a 12 ounce brew as opposed to larger bottles is both harder and easier… It's more difficult in the sense that there are fewer niche styles that are offered in the smaller servings, but that also makes it easier because there are fewer to choose from… I've also realized that the smaller serving brews are somewhat telling of the breweries efforts on the whole… It's not always the case, but it seems that if a brewery doesn't offer a decent beer in their "standard" selection, what they brew in small batches will rarely impress...

Solemn Oath Brewery - Undisputed Heavyweight Ticklefight Champions Of The World

     A rainy day with an open itinerary is almost a form of divine intervention which beckons one to enjoy indoor activities... While many breweries offer outdoor seating, I have never seen one that is entirely outdoor, thus it makes it pretty safe to assume any brewery one chooses to attend will be able to accommodate on a rainy day... This particular day brought my companion and I to Solemn Oath Brewery in Naperville, Illinois, a desirable destination after thoroughly enjoying their "Kidnapped By Vikings" nearly a year prior... It's somewhat tucked away in an industrial parking lot, but the giant roll up door with their logo is a dead giveaway as to the location...
     Upon entering the brewery, it left much to be desired as far as a "welcoming" setting is concerned, as it's again, very industrial in its' look and feel, and lacks homeyness... The bar-top was fairly standard, but the "lounging" area was quite compact and the only table tops offered were overturned barrels... Which was a nice touch, but a few spots to sit would have been a nice option for us patrons... The wall opposite the bar contained the "BFF Blackboard," which hosted a slew of names accompanied by a number... It's purpose was that when you attend the bar without your favorite drinking buddy, you can kindly show them they were dearly missed by buying them a beer for the next time they show up!! Adjacent to both the BFF board and the bar was the brewing room, accommodating many stainless steel fermentors, as well as an oak cask which presumably hid a tasty concoction that's picking up many desirable flavor elements... Once we had completed the short tour that we had helped ourselves to, it was time to indulge in a few cold ones...

Yeti Stouts - "I believe..."

Image borrowed from www.knoxbeercrew.com

     Anyone who's spent a decent amount of time in the Denver area has more than likely seen Great Divide's sticker with the words "I believe" accompanying a "yeti" like figure floating around somewhere... Any craft beer head in the area has also more than likely tried this somewhat "staple" of a beer... Great Divide is a brewery I never made it to while I was in the area, but I enjoyed their beers, and of course made sure that a Yeti was indeed on the list... In fact, I enjoyed quite a few of those before being exposed to an Oak Aged Yeti, and consuming that was pure delight... This all occurring before I had begun doing any sort of lengthy write-ups, but hindsight tells me it would have been beneficial to have taken the time to simply jot some notes during their consumption... Regardless, Great Divide has continued to do small batches of their Yeti, with each batch brewed a touch differently, as to influence the flavor profile to adjust slightly, all while maintaining the backbone that makes this beer so prolific in CO's craft community...

     In this write-up I'll highlight two small batch representations of the Yeti, the "Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti," as well as the "Oatmeal Yeti..." I won't be enjoying them simultaneously, as I believe comparing two tangent brews of the same original could very well overlap each other's flavor profiles, thus making the review less "true..." Not to say I'd never indulge in two similar beers at the same time, but for the sake of the Yeti, I believe it deserves a fresh palate for each brew... So if you're ever looking for a nice winter warmer to enjoy this coming season, and a Yeti is available to you, pour one of those and enjoy one of the better stouts brewed in America!!

Black Magic - Warlock

     October is arguably the best month of the year, and no not just because of the Walking Dead beginning once again... It could be the beautiful changing of the leaves, Halloween, the NHL season beginning, or MLB ending, all great attributes indeed, but for craft beer enthusiasts, October typically equates to pumpkin beer!! Just about every brewery out there will undoubtedly release a pumpkin influenced brew of some form during this month, and just about every microbrewery out there will also be depleted of those brews in quick fashion...

     Pumpkin beers having never been a favorite of mine, well, pumpkin flavored anything for that matter, but last fall I definitely acquired a taste for them after indulging in quite a few of Upslope and Dry Dock's pumpkin offerings... This years first acquisition is Souther Tier's "Warlock," as it was recommended to me recently, and I just so happened to come across it... I've seen plenty of folks enjoying their "Pumking" on social media, but was unaware they brewed both beers until I saw the Warlock's label... I'd assume the Warlock is believed to be the better of the two offerings, as it's part of the "Blackwater Series..."